Restoring Retro in Home and Dress

11/14/2018

This early 1940s dress was a bit of a (pleasant) surprise in several ways! I'd had this mini green rayon plaid suiting on my shelf for years, and never got around to making it up. Each autumn and winter other fabrics would end up higher on the queue. This year I decided I really wanted to use it, so was paging through my pattern catalog when I took a closer look at this pattern - Hollywood 413, an Ann Sheridan style - and realized that the skirt details were kind of cute, and it was simple enough to not be unsuitable for a print.

It was a pattern I had bought in a lot of others and was missing its envelope. I had printed out a photo of the front cover so I would know what it looked like, but it didn't have a back sketch, so I actually had no idea until I had started to cut it out that the back was so unique. If I had noticed that before, you bet it would have been higher on my to make list!

The other issue with no envelope meant I had no idea of what size it was, since it was an unprinted pattern. I found a similar style of dress in my size and matched up some of the pattern pieces. Thankfully they were really close, so I could assume it was my size - lucky break! I did add a little extra on the side seams and back skirt seam when cutting it out, on the principle that I can always cut some off, but can't add some on after it's cut out.

After that, construction was a breeze. There were a ton of tiny dart tucks across the back and on the frot, but the nice thing with this fabric is that I could end them all on the same line of plaid so that I could be sure they would be even.

Once the bodice was put together, I basted on the the skirt, and tried it on. The back was too long and it pouched out, so I ripped out the basting threads and cut an inch or so off the back bodice, and also cut a little off the arm holes since they were too tight and moved down the front dart tucks since they ended at an odd place on the bust. Other than that, it went together without issues.

And I absolutely love it! I have full range of motion with that awesome fullness in the back, yet it fits well so there is no unsightly blousing. The front details are so nice, yet the back is just as nice, so you get lots of back pictures this time! :-)

The skirt is tailored so it looks slim, yet has a nice fullness and length. The flared front small inset panels are so cute, especially with the belt tabs (which of course could be omitted if desired).

After a quick search on Pinterest, I saw that collars so often were white even if there was no other contrast, so I did the collar in white rayon, and added black buttons from my stash.

The rayon behaved beautifully and drapes nicely. I really have come to love rayon suiting, since it is denser and heavier than lighter rayons. It is sturdier and less fragile, launders just fine, and is as easy to work with as cotton, but hangs better.

The green and black fabric is perfect to style with different colors of accessories. I think it will be lovely during the holidays with red added in, and is versatile enough for summer as well (hence the short sleeves to keep it more transitional) but for more of an autumn feel this time I paired it with my coral grape earrings and a large vintage wooden grape dress clip I haven't worn before.

I made it in time to wear it to our church's harvest dinner (sort of a blend between a Thanksgiving dinner and a Veteran's Day celebration) so that's where the title comes from.

My favorite vintage heels got an outing as well, before the weather turns wet and slick.

The pretty leaf colors are no longer on the trees, but this thick carpet is almost as nice for autumn photos. :-)

I can't believe I let this pattern languish so long in my stash without finding how cute it is and how much I love it. Now I want to make another version in a solid color!

11/07/2018

My, it's been a while since I posted a 1950s project. For some reason this year I have mostly gravitated towards the 1930s and 1940s when I am drawn to a fabric or pair it with a pattern.

I picked up 2 yards of a brown vintage polka dot polyester knit at the local thrift store a few weeks ago. I'm pretty sure it's from the 1970s, and I'm not usually a fan of 1970s polyester. At all. But this one was polka dot, and I DO have a weakness for that print. Plus it was just a couple of dollars, so into my cart it went (along with some nicer pieces of fabric which I have plans for already!)

One good thing about this type of fabric (along with the fact that it doesn't fray) is that it is easy care and can take a lot of wear-and-tear, so I decided to whip up an everyday skirt.

Because the fabric looks 1970s, I wanted to make the skirt as obviously different in decade as possible, so instead of going with a simple A line skirt or something similar, I chose a side buttoning skirt off of a 1950s dress pattern I have, and added a large pocket with a scalloped decorative flap from a house dress pattern from the same decade.

I like the flare, and the pocket does really help make it look 1950s, I think.

Because this fabric doesn't press well, I double top stitched the pocket, and just did a narrow top stitched hem.

The top few buttons actually are functional buttons, but the rest are sewn on through both layers. No need to make extra buttonholes I'll never use! The top button (which you can't see here) is also sewn on for decoration, after a long struggle to try to get the thick waistband under my buttonhole foot. I ended up defeated and closed the waistband with a hook and eye.

The corduroy I used for the pocket flap is a little whiter than the off-white dots in the print, but I realized that too late to care; and anyway, since it's an everyday skirt I wasn't taking too many pains with it. I had a bit of trouble figuring out how the pocket was supposed to be placed and slanted, but ended up with something I liked. The whole thing took only a few hours to make.

It IS nice, I admit, to use a fabric with a bit of stretch in it. The extra give in fit makes it very comfortable to wear. I will have to get used to making sure my pocket is empty, though, before I wash the skirt - because I am not used to wearing clothes with pockets!

I have a few brown skirts that I wear a lot, but this one is a different shade. A friend called it "gingerbread" colored, and that's exactly what shade it is! Which makes it ideal for fall fashion.

It is also the perfect style to wear with my other Rocket Original's 1950s reproduction sweater set! This is my favorite - the rich claret color is so, so pretty. I think it will pair well with a lot of skirt colors, and looks very autumnal as well as potentially perfect for the holidays.

It's the same in fit, quality, and style as the gray version I showed you earlier - but in a different color combo, which I just love.

The light colored arrows are more noticeable than the black ones, I think. I enjoy the way they interact when the cardigan is worn.

We have enjoyed a spectacular, long autumn here, and when I was hanging up laundry one day I noticed the beautiful, thick carpet of yellow leaves in my back yard. I wanted to take advantage of them while they lasted.

They are the perfect backdrop to the burgundy of the sweater set, and the overall fall colors of this outfit.

My hair was on its 2nd day of curl set, but behaved pretty well. I actually enjoyed the longer, looser style of the more relaxed curls, for the most part.

I will be interested to find out how versatile these pieces are when worn with other separates, this fall and winter. I love making and wearing dresses, but often gravitate toward separates for everyday wear.

So I think my first experiment with 1970s knit has turned out fairly successful. I doubt I will repeat it often, but expect to get a lot of wear out of this sturdy skirt. Which in trade for a few dollars and hours of time, should be a good investment.

10/30/2018

This outfit idea was on my to do list since last fall, when I saw a photo of a vintage dress and jacket combo online, and loved the way it had two different looks depending on if the jacket was worn or not. At the time, I had slated the linen for this future project, but several months later when I got a lovely 1930s pattern on Etsy, I realized it would be perfect for this outfit.

So when another autumn rolled around and the weather was getting suitable for such an outfit, I started work on it. I made the dress first. The bodice turned out fine - all those tucks! - and I really liked it. Then I tried it on and realized the rayon I used was so super thin that even with a slip underneath it would be quite see-through, so I had to cobble together a lining, which took several tries and is certainly not very neat inside! I should have just flat lined it in the first place.

The skirt I had some difficulty with because my tailor's chalk markings disappeared on the linen and I had to re-figure out the back pleat placement, which meant some ripping out and resewing.

Then once all those seams were done (from the waist to about 12 in. from the hem), I realized that it was going to be way too snug. Like way, way too body hugging snug! So out came the seam ripper again and I made the back pleats/darts short instead. I do like the detail they add.

It was a pain trying to rip out seams on the linen, which was fairly coarse.

I made the belt up on my own without a pattern, and despite all the various issues, once it was all put together I really like the dress. I love the bodice detail. Gold is not my usual color, but especially as a skirt, I hope it works well enough. And it's certainly a nice fall color!

The jacket was a different story! I had cut the front panel inserts on the bias, thinking it would add a nice subtle variation. Those panels turned out way too huge (I think because the bias stretched so much in the linen) and instead of trimming them off, I tried pleating them into the front pieces. Which worked fairly well, but I don't like how it looks on me very much...

The back I couldn't figure out how it was supposed to be done so I winged it. It overlapped in a strange way.

I added a button tab, just for fun. (And perhaps to help secure the overlap...)

The sleeves again were difficult since some of the darts went wonky, and by that time I was so tired of working with the linen that I only partially fixed it.

After I have some time and space away from that linen, I may go back and redo the jacket - otherwise I doubt it will get worn much with the dress.

It was fun to find a use for these "cinnamon bun" buttons I've had in my stash for ages. I doubted I'd ever actually use them since they were so unusual, but of course 1930s buttons often were - and I had just the right amount for this jacket, including one larger size for the waist!

While this outfit gets a sort of love-hate opinion from me (love the dress, hate the jacket), I do definitely like the mix-and-match of having a coordinating jacket and dress. The dress collar adds a touch of contrast to the jacket. Besides the two different looks it gives, it's also perfect for Idaho autumns since often it is quite warm during the days and I can use a short sleeved dress, while mornings and evenings are cold, when I can add the jacket. While this combo didn't quite turn out like I had pictured, it at least has made me interested in doing another version someday with a happier fabric and jacket pattern.

Of course the gold linen goes perfectly with my nutmeg-brown Alice shoes from Royal Vintage. I also wore my favorite 1930s hat, and added a touch of color with my accessories.

These coral grape earrings and bracelet are vintage and belonged to my husband's grandmother, as well as the ivory beads. They are so pretty! The grape leaves on the bracelet kept catching on my skirt, however, so another time I'll wear it with a denser fabric to avoid damaging my clothes.

The gloves I dyed myself, once their original white became too dingy for use.

While this is not my favorite sewing project this year, is not a job I'm very proud of, and it doesn't even rank up with the "frustrating but worth it" projects, I certainly learned a lot during the construction and am sadder but wiser as a result.

At least I am happy enough with the dress that it's partially a success!

10/24/2018

I usually steer clear of reproduction clothing brands, simply because I have so many clothes already (as well as a constant, growing sewing list) and prefer just to avoid going down that rabbit hole of spending more money. (Reproduction shoes are another matter! :-)

Also, not too many reproduction pieces actually look authentic to me, for some reason. But when I saw Rocket Originals' upcoming knitwear release scheduled for October, I knew I had to make an exception. This was no simple, classic style that I could possibly thrift, nor was it a "vintage inspired" garment. Sweater twinsets faithfully copied from an original 1950s ad!

Vintage knitwear in good condition is often pricey and not as skin and laundry friendly, because while older fabric was better quality, older yarn is often not better quality than what we are accustomed to today.

Now, vintage appropriate sweaters are often fairly easy to find at thrift stores - but not matching twinsets with perfect 1950s shape, details, and styling!

I wear a lot of sweater and sweater tops during the winter, especially preferring short sleeve sweaters, so a knitwear purchase was practical in that I would actually get a lot of wear out of it for the money. I may have checked frequently to find out when they would be for sale...and as soon as they were up on the website, I purchased 2 twinsets in color ways that I would get the most use out of.

I have to say, working with Rocket Originals was lovely. They promptly answered my questions and even refunded the extra postage (which to the US from the UK added quite a bit to the purchase price). The shipping didn't take too long, either, considering the distance.

I love that these are so carefully reproduced in every detail, and that I'm supporting a small, family-owned company with a reputation for authenticity by my purchase!

When I was looking at the info, I did wish that the sweaters were made of a natural fiber rather than acrylic. I prefer cotton or rayon blend sweaters. But I was pleasantly surprised when the sweaters arrived and they felt more like cotton, without the fuzzy-plastic-ish feeling acrylic sweaters often have. Of course they are machine washable, which is perfect.

I love how each sweater can be worn separately, yet when worn together the arrow details are perfectly placed for tasteful decoration and balance. The cardigan, which I can also wear with my cotton dresses, is warm and cozy. They are quite comfortable to wear and work in.

On the website they reiterated that these are short in length, meant to hit just at the hip. And they do. Make sure you wear a high waisted skirt with these if you don't want your midriff to show.

Time will tell if they stand up to regular wearing and washing, but I have no reason to believe they won't.

The gray/black combo goes very well with a lot of my more colorful skirts. Here I paired it with the rayon skirt I made over to look 1950s, worn over a crinoline, black classic 1950s pumps from Two Old Beans, and the cutest little vintage scottie brooch which came from my adopted grandmother.

So many times I have leafed through my vintage women's magazines and sighed at the selection displayed in the ads, wishing they were still available and I could get one in every color. Now I actually got the chance!

I'm very happy with this addition to my fall/winter wardrobe. One of these days I will show you the other set, which is even prettier!

10/18/2018

Blogging has been a journey for me. It started out as a place for me to write about and share my hobbies, many of which were craft and/or vintage related. Once I learned how to sew, however, it rapidly became more of a sewing/fashion blog (though I keep the door open for variety when the urge strikes to write about something else). A fashion blog meant I suddenly was in front of the camera, instead of behind it. And as a self-conscious, awkward teen I had no clue how to do that!

A very, very early sewing project (the skirt) and the best of one of my first ever tries at posing while someone else took pictures.

I laugh or cringe at some of my early photos and posts now, and of course, there were many, many pictures that mercifully never made it to the blog. I've also learned so much about how to model fashion (I'm mostly talking about vintage fashion here), so I hope to share out of my experience a few things I've learned that may help someone else newly starting out, or struggling with trying to make their photos and modeling more attractive and professional.

There are so many types of vintage bloggers out there, each with their own style. While I admire the stunning photos of professional models in exotic locations or with amazing photo props and editing, I'm writing more to the folks who have a hobby they want to share, but no experience with what transfers pleasingly to the photo frame, and limited access to tools and backgrounds. Some ladies can do the exaggerated poses of a professional model and look dreamy instead of ridiculous, but many of us are not blessed with that talent - appearing happy and pleasant in everyday surroundings is our strong suit.

This is probably as close as I'll get to looking dreamy and sophisticated! :-D

So here are some tips I've come up with during my own blunders and experiments. Perhaps some of these are pretty obvious, but I include them in case they may be helpful to anyone who may be as clueless as myself when I began. I don't really list them in order of importance, and some may overlap.

(Please keep in mind I am not a professional and still have a lot to learn when it comes to photography, modeling, and photo editing!)

Finding the style and colors that suit you best, and how to accessorize them, is a separate issue and not in the perimeters of our discussion today. So, you have your beautiful outfit on, hair and makeup done, and you're ready to go. What's next?

1) Know Yourself

Do a little self analysis. Which expression do you like best on your face - smiling, or pensive? I, for instance, almost never like myself in candid shots, and think my completely relaxed face looks akin to a sleepy sheep. :-) Hopefully not so much in real life - but there is so much difference between the fluid movements and expressions of real life, and a frame captured and frozen in time. For me to be happy with photos of myself, I need to wear lipstick, and be posed with a smile or pleasant expression. On the other hand, if you don't like your smile - don't smile in pictures.

What are you sensitive about? Profile? Waistline? Height? There are tricks to minimizing each of these. If you don't like your profile, make sure that you don't present the side of your face straight on, but are always looking slightly over your shoulder toward the camera.

(Keep in mind that for tutorials, like how-to hairstyle step by step photos, you will need well lit photos of all angles, flattering or not. And that works fine for readers because they are concentrating on the method being taught, not the art of presentation.)

An always flattering angle to the waist is to take photos slightly from one side or the other instead of straight on with your front flat toward the camera. And if height is an issue, don't take photos beside items that can serve as a scale - a plain wall background or a woodland trail (if it's not too dark), for instance, or even a seated position, will suit better than beside a chair or another person.

Notice how in the top photo my waist looks smaller than in the bottom photo.

Many of the models you see in black and white photos from the 1930s, etc, are actually not that beautiful if you look at them critically. They might have a nice feature which they know how to make the most of, are impeccably dressed in the right sort of clothes for their body type, are poised and confident, and can look absolutely stunning and glamorous as a result. Many ladies who are not so-called pretty can definitely still be glamorous and elegant!

2) Best Foot Forward

One thing you will see a lot of in vintage ads and model photos is that always, always for a full-length shot one foot is angled in some way (usually the foot toward the camera). It just looks more pleasing than with both feet flat on the ground and even with each other. Compare the photos below.

3) Backgrounds and Lighting

This is one I still struggle with, being a backyard photographer with a limited amount of backgrounds (all country themed) - especially in rainy weather! A background should ideally be somewhat suitable with your outfit, if possible, and simple enough to not distract from your outfit. It can add a lot to your photos or simply be a relief to make you stand out clearly.

If you are taking photos in front of trees or bushes, tell your photographer to make sure that you don't have a tree branch growing out of your head! :-)

A simple, weathered, shaded wall in a neutral is often a really good background that suits pretty much anything, if you're lucky enough to have one and it's in the shade when you are ready to take pictures.

For someone like myself, to dress up and drive 20 minutes or more to town, with a toddler, just to take pictures is not likely to happen. But on the other hand, if I know I am going someplace that would make a good backdrop - like a park or hike - it often works to plan an outfit you want photos of, and carry along your accessories and lipstick. You can wear them just long enough for pictures if necessary, without making a special trip.

I knew that we would be touring Glen Eyrie Castle while on vacation this summer, so I wore a new dress and brought along accessories.

It was such a beautiful backdrop!

Light is so, so important. Don't take pictures in full sunlight, or in strongly dappled shade. But for really good photos without a lot of editing, you need natural light. If you need to take work-in-progress or detail photos, always do it in the daylight close to a window rather than under a lightbulb. If you stand in the shade (like under a tree) with strong sunlight behind you, either the background will wash out or you will be too dark. Often either the morning or the late afternoon is the best time for taking pictures, because the light is more mellow and since it's not directly overhead, you are more likely to find stretches of shade.

Here you can see that the background was too bright and as a result, I was too dark.

This improved once I moved to a spot with shade in the background, but I had to be careful of sun spots.

A few on the skirt were ok- not a bright circle on the forehead or nose! :-)

4) Variety

A blog post will look best if it has photos from a variety of angles and distances. What I often like to do is rotate slowly in front of the camera while my sister takes full-length photo shots (meanwhile I pay attention to the position of my feet), and then rotate again as she takes photos that are more hip length. To finish, we might do some head and shoulder shots from several angles, and then close-ups of any detail on the outfit, or accessories. Meanwhile I also use a variety of expressions, and look both at the camera and away from it. To have this variety (of course you can crop some afterwards if necessary) makes a nice selection of poses so you don't have the exact same expression or angle for all shots.

Taking photos from many angles can help you be able to select the most becoming one later. Admittedly, sometimes it's only the best out of not very good options.

Photo props can be a nice addition, if they don't distract from your outfit, and can really take your photos a step up. Even if it's just a chair or bench, it adds visual interest and gives you more options with poses.

I had my chin tucked in too far - double chin alert! The next one was a much nicer angle.

A few more modeling tips...

Photos from the back often look best with your chin up so your hair nestles against your shoulders. Otherwise, you'll look a little hunchback and your head will be out of proportion because it's too far forward.

Selfies are fine for Instagram "real moment in real life" photos, but preferably to be avoided for blog posts if you want to up your game.

If you are doing a contemplative pose and looking down, don't look down too far or you'll look like you are blinking or asleep. The photographer should always be able to see a slit of your eyeball.

Also be aware of the position of your hands. This is still a tripper for me. Editing photos from a recent shoot, I was bummed to realize that my hands were in the exact same position in almost all of the good photos - and they hid my belt effectually the entire time. Make sure to move them around as you take photos. Holding something like a handbag really can help with occupying your hands - but make sure again that you move it around, so you don't end up with a part of what you are trying to photograph obscured the whole time.

Remember that as a vintage blogger, while you are presenting an image of yourself, you are also focusing on the clothes, which means they need to be displayed to best advantage. Again, vintage images can help a lot with that.

5) But Also Continuity

I usually prefer variety in poses, but continuity overall with the location. If the blog post jumps back and forth from dark indoor photos to sunny outdoor photos, for instance, it can be distracting. But if you are outside and you wander around a bit, it works just fine to have some photos under a tree, and others beside a gate or a horse, for example. It's the same general color scheme and lighting.

6) Analyze & Research

Honestly, one of the best ways to educate yourself is to look at images on Pinterest of a similar style of outfit, and see how it is modeled. Is the model languid and mysterious, or school-girl-on-a-vacation? Notice the angle of the body, the position of feet and hands. Is the pose elaborate or more candid?

Also study pictures of yourself. If you don't like a particular photo, try to analyze why you don't like it. If you really like one, why is that? This will help you learn what you do like in yourself, and each piece of knowledge will help guide you next time.

7) Tools, Tools, Tools

This almost goes without saying, but of course a good camera and some basic editing is always a huge boost in photo quality. Almost all my photos lately have been taken with an iPhone 8 Plus because the camera on it is better than the actual camera I previously used. Plus it has this amazing Portrait Mode feature which slightly blurs out the background and makes it instantly look professional. There are a lot of options out there. Ask a knowledgable friend to recommend a decent camera in your budget.

Speaking of knowledgable friends, it is really important to have someone take your photos who has at least some eye for proportion and framing. If you don't know anyone who can take good photos, you may need to get a tripod and learn how to take your own. Otherwise your photos will never look more than amateur, and the most beautiful outfit won't save the day.

One basic tip for the photographer is that in almost any camera, the proportions look better if you zoom in a bit and step back if necessary to get the full length shots, rather than zooming out from where you stand in order to fit the subject into the frame.

Even a less than satisfactory photo shoot, where the weather or something wasn't behaving, can often be saved or at least minimized by some brightening, cropping, etc. These are very, very basic and easy to use tools. You can always Google or Youtube to find out how to use a particular program if you don't know how.

When cropping or taking photos, try to avoid cutting off frames at body joints. It's better to crop a photo a few inches below or above the elbow or knee, than right at the elbow or knee. It's just an awkward place to end the photo, like your limbs were chopped off. Example below:

8) Troubleshooting

It can be so frustrating if you are dressed up and having a good hair day, and the weather is not behaving. Of course, to have a good indoor location is ideal. A section of bare wall, or a simple photo prop like a chair in a room with good lighting can be a nice substitute. If you are outdoors and the wind blowing your skirt is a problem, a good solution is to take seated photos, like the one below. It was windy that day!

If the weather truly is nasty or gloomy, you may have to make a decision: do you want to go ahead and just make the best of it because this is your only opportunity? Or is it better to change plans and do it another day? For my striped 1930s outfit, I slated several different days to take photos, only to be thwarted by the wind, or my hair, or some other obstacle. But I didn't want to force it because I really wanted good photos of this particular outfit, not just "quickly snapped and let's get inside before we freeze" photos. And in the end, it was worth the wait!

9) Keep Calm and Try Again

In all of this, remember that you are your worst critic. Remember that most people will just scroll fairly rapidly through your blog post, not analyze each photo (though consistently dark or blurry photos will annoy them). Some flaw that may stick out to you like a sore thumb, will likely go unnoticed by most readers; or if they notice it, it will be in passing - it doesn't impact them personally.

Even the most beautiful model out there has some unflattering photos, which never make it to the public, of her blinking, or eating, or caught in an ungraceful pose. After all, every person is a real person. Photos are a form of art, and cannot convey accurately the complete picture of a real life.

And as far as the photo quality goes, some shoots will be better than others. If it's worth it, do a reshoot later when hairstyle or weather or background is more fortuitous. Sometimes you can just move on and try to do better next time. In my experience, while readers may compliment a particularly good photo or blog post, they will not be critical of the ones that are not quite perfect.

10/12/2018

I made this 3 piece outfit back in August. It was special enough that I wanted to make more of an effort with the photo shoot instead of a quick backyard background, so that was part of the delay on getting to the blog. But so worth the wait, since once the photo shoot eventually happened we got the most beautiful golden leaves and evening sunlight!

This ensemble was a ton of fun to make, and I am so pleased with how well my mental vision transferred to fabric and form - not always a success!

This outfit idea was born when I was reorganizing my fabric shelves (maybe to fit more fabric in, but we'll let that pass...;-) and came across this vintage green and white striped cotton I've had for ages and ages. I took a closer look at it and was struck by how lovely it was; plus there was at least 2 yards of it - plenty for a blouse and trimmings!

The sheen and weight and weave of it is just gorgeous - oh, why don't they make cotton like this anymore?? I quickly matched it with a blouse pattern and then ideas for the coordinating pieces fell into place effortlessly.

I knew I wanted white for the other color, despite the impracticality of a white skirt - it's just so 1930s. Pretty much my only suitable white fabric was corduroy, but I thought that could work especially to make this outfit appropriate for several seasons.

It was a bit confusing cutting everything out, with 3 different patterns in 3 different sizes. Thankfully I remembered in time (unlike my red winter coat from last year) that corduroy has a nap! I only had 3 yards of it, and there was just no way I could cut both skirt pieces and the jacket back all on the fold, even with shortening the skirt pieces considerably. So I ended up cutting the jacket back with seam allowance and putting a seam up the back. And even so, it was a tight squeeze to fit everything on.

The blouse is actually from a 1940s pattern, but it looks very 1930s to me when styled this way. That big bow element is just so classic. But I suppose since it is a 1940s blouse I can also wear it for outfits from that decade, which makes it more versatile!

I stripe matched as much as I could, and was really pleased with the results. I flatlined the blouse, and overall it was a fairly quick and easy project despite the stripes. I love the waist points in the front and back!

The sleeves were untrimmed, but since it was for a 1930s outfit I decided they needed at least a little trimming, since sleeves were often a dramatic part of 1930s clothing. I added a simple touch and bound the edge with some small white buttons.

The skirt I took from a dress pattern, since I wanted 2 vents in the front and none in the back and only found those specifics on a dress skirt. The vent pieces I cut from the striped cotton, and added covered buttons above them for trimming, inspired by an image on Pinterest if I recall correctly. When I am standing still, the stripes are mostly hidden by the skirt pleats, but sitting and walking displays the interest.

It went together very quickly since these skirt styles are pretty basic. I had plenty of length even with cutting it shorter to start with, so instead of a belt I made the waist fit me and just folded it over. Which is not entirely cheating, because my yellow cherry 1930s skirt called for the same construction!

The jacket is again super basic, and closes at the waist with a hook and eye hidden by inserted ties in the front darts. The corduroy makes these ties kind of bulky, but I think it still works. I really wanted an all-white jacket that I could wear with other outfits, so I decided not to use any striped cotton for trim, despite my original idea of striped cuffs.

But it did look very plain-Jane, so I began to toy with the idea of dressing it up with some shoulder or front decorations. After playing around with ideas, I settled on white-on-white appliqué wool felt leaves, with a touch of embroidery and beads. It's not really noticeable from a distance, but adds subtle dimension and close-up appeal that I really like. It didn't take long to do, either. Hooray for handwork!

The shoulders looked too big to me when I was making it, but worn with the other pieces it really has the perfect silhouette for the era.

Now I have a set of 3 mix and match pieces that I can wear together or separately. I don't know how much wear it will get since white is not practical for a toddler's mommy, but honestly - once in a while a gal just has to go all-out flamboyant just for the fun of it!

Because of how big a statement the clothes make, I kept accessories simple. Dramatic 1930s gauntlets, and a touch of darker color in the hat, which is unfortunately a bit too small for my head, and my Royal Vintage spectator heels (which do 1930s perfectly!)

I also managed to get a bit more of a 1930s hairstyle this time instead of my usual brush-out - score!

This beautiful teacup is a favorite. I bought it, along with two other fine English bone china cups, at a yardsale this summer for $10 for the lot. I'm not sure how old it is, but it looked 1930s-ish to me. A perfect photo prop, as well as useful for tea parties!

Thanks to my sister for taking the lovely photos! She is always my patient photographer. And I had a terrible time even narrowing down the photos to the ones included here! :-)

I've said so many times that a particular new sewing project was my favorite. But I really think this one tops it all! Wearing it makes me happy, and I feel so elegant and poised. It's amazing what power clothes have, for good or ill.

Now I just need a vintage event to attend or an excuse to really dress up, to give this outfit an outing!

10/03/2018

Ah, autumn. Every spring I can't wait to cut into my floral cottons, yet every fall I get freshly excited about my cool weather projects. I think perhaps there is a little more creativity with fall and winter sewing, since I don't have to be limited to what is cool and comfortable enough for a high desert summer.

I do have one more summer outfit to photograph, but since that hasn't happened yet, here is the first of my fall sewing queue to be completed this year!

It's a very classic war era dress, with some cute detail. I used some rayon crepe that appeared to be reversible - at least, I couldn't tell which side was supposed to be the right side, but I wanted the brown so I went with that. But I had to incorporate the other side just for fun, so I used it for the side front panels and skirt yoke - and I'm glad I did! It looks so much better than all brown would have, plus this type of color blocking is very historically accurate.

The crepe feels and hangs beautifully, and again seems to fit the dress very well. I'm a little worried about how well it will stand up to wear and washing, but we will see.

The dress was easy to make, even with the yoke and gathers which add some special 1940s style. It came together quickly without any difficulties except for the need to tweak the waist seam a bit.

In my quest to add hand details to my outfits, I tried soutache for the first time as a shoulder embellishment. It was rather a failure. (Somebody who knows how please, please do a tutorial on how to apply it!!!) But rather than rip it off, I decided to try to make it look better. At first I thought of beads, but had none the right color, and no dark brown embroidery floss the right shade either. I was determined to finish it with something I had on hand (make do and mend, you know...), so I ended up using black thread and making dozens and dozens of French knots. I rather like the result, and especially from a distance it looks just like the type of decoration I see on extant dresses from this time period. Total save!

Plus adding in the touch of black made it easy to pair black accessories if I want to. Normally I would pair brown with brown, but this is a unique cool shade of brown that clashes with many other shades, so I ended up going classic with mostly black accessories. Again I lament my lack of black belts... Due to lack of choice, I had to spoil the look somewhat with a modern one; this dress really should have a narrower leather belt. I really must concentrate on finding one.

(Incidentally, reproduction shoes are spoiling me for my vintage pairs, which rarely get an outing now! I keep opting for the extra comfort of the reproductions...)

This hat goes with the dress perfectly, which made me so happy! I have had it for a loooong time and love it, but have practically nothing to wear it with. Now that is remedied!

I pinned on the two clusters of black millinery flowers to help balance my hair, which wasn't quite behaving.

Despite my rather unimaginative accessory pairing, this dress would go well with many autumn jewel tones for accent colors. I did add just a touch of color with a favorite pair of gloves in garnet. But I'd love to pair it with an emerald felt hat and bag, for instance.

(If I had them...:-)

Altogether, this was a fun and rewarding dress to make. Quick and easy, with the hand work to take it up a notch, and everything fitting together in a happy combination which makes it look like it really belongs in the 1940s. Which is my goal, and while I sometimes don't quite reach that goal, I think I did with this dress.

09/25/2018

While this dress is not quite a copycat, it was heavily influenced and inspired by the lovely green vintage dress worn on a photo shoot advertising Royal Vintage Shoes' new fall line this year. I was admiring that dress when I realized that actually it has very simple lines, with the special touch created by looped figure 8 shoulder appliqués, which when I looked closely at, I could figure out how they were done. Of course, instantly I wanted to copy them on something!

I had some dress weight sage green rayon on my shelf which was close to the color of my inspiration dress, so while there are a few differences, I can still call it my RVS Inspired Dress. :-)

This pattern I am guessing is from right around 1939, and I've wanted to make it for a long time. It never quite made it to the top of my sewing queue until now - that simple neckline and plain shoulders are perfect for adding decoration!

I had to size it up quite a bit, so there are minor issues with the skirt fit in the back. Otherwise I was very happy with how it turned out! The rayon is as comfy as a jersey knit, doesn't wrinkle very much, and has absolutely ideal swing and drape for those lovely late '30s skirt details. (I got it years ago at a fabric discount outlet for 1.99 a yard - wish I had more and in a dozen other colors!!!)

The skirt is the perfect, elegant length. It looks trim, thanks to the waist pleats stitched down, yet has enough fullness that I don't have to worry about bending over or sitting down - a plus when I have to chase after a busy 1 year old!

The sleeves I had used on another dress a while ago, and I still love them. While still in pattern pieces, it can be confusing to figure out since the shapes look so funny. The top part is pleated into a triangle shaped piece for such fun detail.

Doing the shoulder embellishments added a few hours onto the otherwise rapid make time. I looked off the photo and played around with a paper version first, did some tracing onto the shoulders with tailor's chalk and then cut a long piece of bias fabric and started sewing. I think my embellishment ended up with a wider fabric strip, and I omitted one of the figure 8's from the inspiration dress. And of course it is not as neat and perfectly done as the original.

I had to make it reverse in the twist for the 2nd shoulder, and while I was very careful with my spacing, I ended up having to redo one of the loops to make it even, and it still isn't quite a mirror image - but it's fairly close. And I am so happy with how accurate and unique it looks! Again I am reminded of why it's worth the effort and time to add those extra hand-sewn details, and why so many gorgeous dresses from that era had them.

I'm still a far cry from the incredible variety and quality and creativity shown on extant dresses (I have a whole wish list of embellishment inspiration on Pinterest!), but at least I've made a start.

I had intended to wear some favorite brown vintage heels with this outfit, but the day before, a box from Royal Vintage arrived with my long awaited pre-ordered Alice shoes in them! Since this outfit was based on a dress worn with the red Alices for the photo shoot, of course I had to wear them with my version. :-)

I had seen photos of the brown style in many varied shades, so I wasn't exactly sure what I was getting. But they are just what I'd hoped - a versatile warm chestnut brown on the dark side of medium without too much red or rust in them. Just the right color for fall. So soft and stylish, suitable for both 1930s and 1940s outfits, and the cutout detail is a-maz-ing.

They are dressier than a bootie style, yet have enough foot coverage to make it a warmer choice for fall and winter. I will be interested to see how many ways I end up styling them, since this kind of shoe is not quite as versatile as a plain pump - yet they are so gorgeous.

I really want the black style too, but since I already had a similar silhouette of black shoe in my closet I couldn't justify the extra expense. Hopefully someday they will go on sale and I can snap up a pair of black ones too!

I wore these for about 5 hours straight out of the box and my feet hurt a bit afterwards, so I expect next time will be better since they had some breaking in. I may change the laces - they look a little too long for my preference - but otherwise wouldn't change a thing!

I don't have much selection of brown belts, and a western style is certainly a-typical, but it tied my brown accessories and silver dress buttons together perfectly and - hey, what can you say? I live in Idaho. :-)

So far I am pleased most of the time with my new haircut. I am still figuring out the right combination of shampoo and conditioner, but it's certainly behaving a lot better than my too-long, layers-grown-out styles of last month!

Even though this is more of a summer dress, the color works for at least 3 seasons, and here autumn days get warm enough that I will be glad for short sleeves for a while yet. So hopefully it will get a few more outings before winter proper arrives.

I love that it is comfortable with no underarm pulling or other issues that would make it less likely to be worn; also that it is so simple it can be styled lots of ways and paired with lots of colors depending on the season. Gray is a natural to pair with this silvery green, black and brown are always classics, but then there's also red, ivory or white, pink, perhaps even navy or lavender...

I know I've said this before, but once again my newest make ranks right up there with my favorite projects from this summer!

09/19/2018

I have a few end-of-summer sewing projects that still need photographed before I can show them to you. Meanwhile, here's a fun early-autumn themed casual 1940s sweater outfit that I put together thanks to finding this adorable sweater at a thrift store a while ago. I had to wait until the weather cooled down before I could wear it, but right now is perfect short sleeved sweater weather.

I don't think it's actually vintage, but certainly works and could be a reproduction if it isn't. A nice cherry red cotton yarn, with an all-over lace knit pattern that has a solid yoke where the cutest little scotties line up in a row all the way around, sleeves and all!

The scotties are even done in black chenille yarn so they are raised a bit and a little fuzzier than the rest of the sweater. They have black bead eyes, and there is only one not in black, sporting a little plaid bow tie. The whole thing reminded me instantly of novelty sweaters from the 1930s-1950s, and I had to bring it home.

Of course, the fact that it was only 99 cents didn't hurt. :-)

It's a relaxed fit so it can be worn as a looser sweater style, or belted as I did here. You will see both options throughout the 3 decades I mentioned earlier.

It kinda looks like it could be a holiday sweater, and paired with a green skirt it would be perfect for Christmas, but since it's not specifically a holiday garment, I decided to make it fall-ish, and paired it with an autumn-hued plaid 1940s skirt, and a few simple accessories to bring together the high-school-or-college-age look that I felt went with the sweater style.

I also got a badly needed haircut recently. The past month or so I've been using hair nets almost every day because most brush-outs were unmanageable. Now I have to re-learn how to shampoo and style a shorter, more layered cut - so I'm still experimenting to find the perfect combo.

I'm sure this sweater will get a lot of wear in both fall and winter, and it will be fun to dress it up Christmassy during the holidays, but these scotties are too cute to save for just December!

09/05/2018

Since I've been enjoying how versatile the 2 piece outfits I've been making are, I added another one to my closet with this coordinating 1940s suit in cotton twill.

It has simple, classic lines. The skirt is a common style found in suit patterns from that era - just 2 main pieces, with darts in the back and a pleat in the front. The jacket has princess lines, with a bit of unusual detail in the gathered front.

But since I can hardly stop with a plain garment - seeing instead a canvas for some fun addition - I added top stitched bands on the shoulders. I love how they turned out, and to me they add a very 1940s finishing touch. One band is the skirt fabric, and the other is a white-on-white print intended to make this jacket also match the late 1930s white twill skirt I made earlier!

Nothing like mix and match. And I have leftovers of both fabrics, so potentially I can make yet another piece to add in.

I also avoided the traditional row of evenly spaced buttons, using a photo from my 1940s suit article as inspiration to use these navy blue glass buttons in sets of 3 instead. I really like how it looks!

I added a snap above and below the buttons to keep the jacket in place.

I must say I was very pleased with the fit since I had to size this pattern up quite a bit. The princess lines made it a lot easier!

I love the floral twill (from JoAnn - the same time I got the big floral print for my late 1940s princess style dress). It's a cheery, dark print perfect for summer wear. The plain navy I don't like quite as well since it shows iron marks more quickly, and shows dust and catches lint very easily.

White seemed to be the right color for accessories, along with my favorite brown beret which I wish I could find in every color!, and my brown and white Peggys from Royal Vintage were the perfect summer pumps.